Shs2.6b Moyo market on course despite delays, says CAO
Workers go about their work at the Modern Market of Moyo Town Council funded under USMID-AF. Photo | courtesy
What you need to know:
According to Mr Geoffrey Vuciri, the Moyo District deputy chief administrative officer, despite some delays, the project, which had been scaled down in 2018, is now on course.
Works on the Shs2.6b modern market in Moyo Town Council, Moyo District is progressing well despite some delays.
Speaking during a visit to review progress of the project’s implementation by Mr Obiga Kania, the state minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr Geoffrey Vuciri, the Moyo District deputy chief administrative officer, said that despite some delays, the project, which had been scaled down in 2018, is now on course with works being undertaken by Desert Breeze Hotel.
“There had been some challenges when Obongi District was curved out of Moyo District. Obongi District took 64 percent and Moyo District 36 percent of the allocations,” he said, noting that in 2019, funds were returned to the Consolidated Fund without implementing the project, which had affected progress.
The market, supported through the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Programme-Additional Financing (USMID-AF), a project of the World Bank, seeks to support local communities in the area as a reward for hosting refugees.
During the meeting, Mr Kania said the project implemented in some of Uganda’s refugee hosting districts is an innovation designed under USMID-AF to support refugee hosting communities.
“We know they (districts) suffer a lot from the impact of the huge number of refugees in the country (Uganda). Government is giving back to [such communities],” he said.
However, Mr Caesar Chandiga, the Moyo Town Council chairman, said that whereas the market was not exactly what the district had desired to have, it was a good start.
“Hon Minister [Mr Kania] you are aware of the type of markets in Arua or Gulu cities. [But] we still appreciate the little that government has given us,” he said, noting that much as works are not moving according to schedule, it was good that the minister had visited to witness what was on ground.
However, Mr Williams Anyama, the Moyo District chairman, noted that beyond construction of markets, to cause economic development in Moyo District, there was need for government to construct bridges on River Nile such as the Laropi Bridge.
“You cannot talk about Moyo without addressing development issues or prosperities of the people without addressing the problem of a bridge on River Nile. The day government put bridge and upgrade our road network from Laropi to Afoji, South Sudan border Moyo will open up to economic prosperity,” he said.
